How Does Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System Actually work? During times of high conflict, Israel can experience over 3000 rockets fired at them by militant groups like Hamas in the space of a week. The hyper-advanced Iron Dome missile defense system is responsible for taking out 90% of these. How can it be so effective? First, a radar system detects incoming rockets, then, a control system uses their speed and trajectory to calculate an impact point. That’s when the Iron Dome batteries spring into action. Each one has three to four launchers capable of firing off 20 guided interceptor missiles in rapid succession, tracking and eliminating the target in mid-air. It isn’t cheap, with each of the 10 batteries across the country costing an insane fifty million dollars.